Environmental Health Specialist

The Scotland County Health Department functions to prevent the spread of infectious and communicable disease and promotes wellness and good health practices. Provision of optimal health care and safety to the population of Scotland County is our number one priority.

This position enforces state and local Environmental Health regulations. This position also performs professional Environmental Health work in the promotion of public health through education, surveillance, consultation, inspection and enforcement. This type of work requires a complete knowledge of a variety of material and physical sciences as a basis for enforcement, education and consultation roles.

Food Sanitation

The following tasks may be done:

1. Inspect, grade and post grade cards at the following types of food handling establishments: (a) restaurants; (b) food stands; (c) temporary food establishments; (d) hospitals; (f) colleges; (g) rest homes; (h) motels and hotels; (i) jails; (j) day care centers - child and adult; (k) residential care centers; (l) summer camps; (m) school cafeterias - public and private; (n) seafood markets.
2. Follow-up compliance visits between grading period to insure sanitation and at-request for complaints from public.
3. Investigates complaints involving food handling sanitation or lack of compliance with Environmental Health Regulations.
4. Conducts periodic Food Handler Schools for employees of food handling establishment to better educate them to the fundamental sanitary food service.
5. Works with individuals, groups, or committees who have as their goal the establishment of a more meaningful food handler education program for the county and state.
6. Pre-construction and pre-opening consultations with prospective owners of new food service establishments. Review blueprints and make recommendations as to building construction and types of equipment needed prior to issuing an operation permit.
7. Investigate food borne disease outbreaks.
8. Review and revise policy and procedures as needed.

Institution Sanitation Exclusive of Food Service

1. Inspect, grade and make compliance visits to establishments that require inspections of facilities other than food services. These institutions include: (a) schools - private and public; (b) colleges; (c) hospitals; (d) jails; (e) rest homes and nursing homes; (f) hotels and motels; (g) day care centers - child and adult; (h) residential care; (i) summer camps; (j) swimming pools; and (k) tattoo artists.
2. An inspection of these establishments would vary according to the needs and purposes of the institution where appropriate and inspection would be made to insure sanitary conditions in living and sleeping quarters, recreation areas, storage areas, and the general condition of the premises. In the cases of hotels and motels, private and public schools and colleges, a different inspection form is used from that of the food service part of the institution. In the other institution, the non-food handling part of the inspections is included on the same grade sheet as food handling.
3. Institutions have private water and sewage systems: (a) Periodic water samples are taken for laboratory analysis to insure quality; (b) Sewage systems are inspected to insure sanitary compliance.

Sewage Disposal

1. Collect application forms for new sewage systems.
2. Make soil analysis to determine soil suitability for new sewage system.
3. Determine size and location of new sewage systems.
4. After soil suitability has been determined, issue improvements permit and construction authorizations to new systems, to repair older systems, and to mobile homes being moved to parks or to other approved areas.
5. Inspect newly installed septic tank systems or approved outside privies. Issue operation permits if work is complete and approved.
6. Conduct routine sewage surveys to insure no problem areas exist.
7. Conduct water and sewage surveys on "for sale" homes as requested by banks or loan institutions.
8. Investigates sewage complaints by public. Secure needed corrections if problems exist.
9. Be available to all who have sewage related problems or questions.

Water Supplies

1. Collect application forms for new well construction.
2. Make site visits to locate wells at safe distances from any potential source of contamination.
3. Issue well permits for new well construction.
4. Inspect grouting of new wells; forms of concrete slab; well tags and sample tap installation.
5. Collection of water samples for laboratory analysis.
6. Address public's concerns about water safety or other problems.

Swimming Pool Inspections

1. Issue swimming pool operation permits.
2. Work with pool operators on new State Swimming Pool Regulations.
3. Make routine inspections of swimming pools and spas testing for: chemical and pH balance, cleanliness and clarity.
4. Inspect equipment to determine adequacy and efficiency.
5. Inspect pool area for cleanliness and neatness.
6. Insure that all safety and rescue equipment is in its proper place.
7. Be available to pool operators when needed.

Other Sanitation Activities

1. Inspect mobile home parks.
2. Lead Abatement program.
3. Inspect impounded waters that have a potential to threaten underground water supplies.
4. Investigate insect and rodent complaints, Make recommendations to the proper control and eradication of pests. Capture and send specimens to laboratory for identification when required.
5. Investigate and report to responsible authorities any misuse or spillage of hazardous materials.
6. Investigate complaints not covered under other headings.
7. Work with building inspector on approving residential or industrial sites requiring individual septic tank systems.
8. Work with representatives from various state agencies, which include, but are not limited to: Resource Conservation Services, Agriculture Departments, Food and Drug, Septage Management, Natural Resource and Community Development, Solid Waste and Public Water Supply Branch.
9. Assist nurses and other health department personnel when requested.
10. Attend profession and staff meetings.
11. Member of Epidemiology Team.
12. Assist with Emergency Response Team when requested.

Mosquito Control Program

1. Enforces Mosquito Control Rules developed by the Scotland County Board of Health.
2. Takes the appropriate court action to prosecute as a Public Health Law violator when complaints are investigated and citizens are non-compliant.
3. Visits citizens that have mosquito control concerns to introduce larvicide or gambuzia fish into the environment as appropriate.
4. Implements mosquito control policies and procedures to include mosquito-landing counts prior to the introduction of adulticide spraying or larviciding into any high density mosquito populated environment.

Required Tasks for Mosquito Control

1. Take citizen complaint or concern related to mosquito control and complete required paper work.
2. Make visits to site to evaluate the situation whether a complaint or citizen requesting assistance with mosquito problems.
3. If visit is complaint drive, educate the property owner regarding the Board of Health Mosquito Control rules and 72 hours compliance requirement.
4. If visit is a citizen concern, evaluate situation and offer alternatives such as Gambuzia fish or larvicide doughnuts.
5. If complaint suggests high mosquito activity, do mosquito-landing count and follow policy and procedure in regards to recommendation for spraying.

Clerical Duties

1. Maintains sufficient office time to allow for consultations, receiving applications for permits, issuing permits, and attending to the sundry needs of the general public.
2. Written and telephone correspondence.
3. Routine office work - filing permits, grade sheets, records and other clerical duties as may be deemed necessary in keeping the Environmental Health Section afloat.
4. Making monthly reports.

Other

Completion of any assignments designated by the Health Director or his/her designee, or the Environmental Health Coordinator.

Minimum Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree or postgraduate degree from a program that is accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC); or, Bachelor's degree or postgraduate degree in public health and one year of experience in the field of Environmental Health practice; or Bachelor's degree or postgraduate degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in the physical, biological, natural, life, or health sciences and one year of experience in the field of Environmental Health practice.
License or Certification Required
Must be eligible to meet the requirements for registration or license as an Environmental Health Specialist as outlined in Article 4, Chapter 90A of the NC General Statutes.
Administering the Trainee Appointment
Appointee must be eligible for registration and apply for registration as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern within 60 days of employment. Employee may remain registered as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern until registration as an Environmental Health Specialist or up to two years, whichever comes first.

Scotland County Health Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages qualified individuals to apply. Recruitment range will be based on direct work related experience, relevant qualification and education, internal equity and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application. Embedded or attached resumes are not accepted as a substitution for a completed application.

To receive credit for all of your work history and credentials, you must list the information on the application. Any information omitted cannot be considered for qualifying credit.

Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Applicants must upload unofficial copies of undergraduate/graduate transcripts with application submission. Applications will be considered "incomplete" without unofficial copies of undergraduate/graduate transcripts attached.

Any licenses or certificates must be included in the appropriate section of the application form

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone.

Employment Type: Full Time